The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-03-23
A TERRIBLE MURDER,
TIE BLOODIEsT DEED on RECORD
Willie Sell, n Youth OF sixteen Years, Con.
fsssss Ia Kliling Ills Father. Mother,
Sistsr md lirother-lIow ths Awful
Tragedy WAS brought About.

sr. Louis, March 22.-lt will be reCol
lected that a year ago this month ons o.
the bIoodiest murders and butchery OIL
human beings known to the anpals o!
crime was committed near the town oil
Eric, kansas. J. ". Sell, Il well.,o.do
'a'mer and his whole family excepting
one aon, Willie, boy lG yeArs old, were
loundmnrdered, their heads being crushed
and their throats cut from ear to ear. On
a chair In tho room was found hatche,
and butcher knife belonging to the family
with which the bloody work had been
done. and tho boy Willie was found 10 be
covered with blood from head to foot,
Ho was accordingly arrested, charged
with tho crime, and at the July term O!
the district court In 1886 WIS tried, con.
victed Of murder in the first degree and
sentenced to be hung. and In conformity
to the laws Of that State, is now in the
penitentiary awaiting tbs signature OF the
Governor to the death warrant.
There has always been great diversity
Of opinion among the people as to wheth.
er Willie Sell committed the murder. On
the trial there was no positive evidence,
and the State utterly failed to find any
motive tor the crime. On the contrary, Il
was shown thatWillie was an exceptionally
good boy, and that he and his sister Ina
were more than commonly fond Of each OF
each other. The neighbor's all swore to
the boys good disposition, and that lie
was favortte In the community, while
his brother Naty, who was older than he,
was not 90 generally liked. The matter
now, however, seems to be set at rest, for
u statement ID printed ,ha morning in
dispatcheg from Erip rhst the boy, alter
syhtema!lc urging and pressing on the part
Of hon. ). Il. Wooas, his guardian and his
attorneys, made confession which was 80
exactly to the tacta and circumstances
brought out at tho trial that il settles the
ease definitely. The confession is, In sub.
stance, as follows:
HORRIBLE CONFESSION.
Mother and sister Ina, had gone 10 bed.
Father. Wa.y and l were Still mp when
the calves got out and come up around the
house. Waty sat at the tsbls reading and
father hsd Just taken his coat and pants
oil to go to bed aud told Waty to 70 and
pu. up the calves.
He ssid: "Let Willie do 1t. won't 20
out now"
Father said he should 20 and Waty did
not want to, amt while they were taking
went out and got the hatchet which was
s:!cking in a log Of wood outside the door
and came back to see il Waty would 10
OUT with ME. gothic hatcuet to nail up
the calf pen.
Esther and Wa!y were quarreling and
had become very mai. When came in
where they we're with the hatchet Waty
Gnatched 1t out OF my hand and struck
'ataeF several times, at last knocking him
down. When saw wha. Waty had done
caught hold OF tho hatchet and jerled it
ont OF hls hand and striking at Waty hit
him on tho head and he foil down on the
floor, and | supposed that killed him.
Then mother seeiag what WAS being done
jumped out Of bed screaming and before
thousht what l was doing struck her.
Ina, my Blister, at that raised up in bed
and screamed, aud I don't know why I
did it, but struck her with the hatchet
and ahe iell back. They were NIL lying
quiet, l took of AL my clothes except
my SHIRT and drawers, then pulled oil
Masys pants, raised hiu. np and carried
him into the other room and put him into
bet. After that went back and got the
ha,chet and pounded his head MI to pieces.
| felt mad at Wa!y because he had killed
ia!her.
! went to the cupboard and got the
butcher knife and cut Wa.y's hesd nearly
oil. Then went back into the other
room and sat doEa and did not know
what to do. Then thought il any OF
them should couls to life they w0Gtd say
Killed Waty, 30 took the butcher kniIo
and Gu. their tllroA!s to maze sure work
Q. it. then blew out the lamp and sat
down Tor several honrs. bu. at last coud
not stan! It any longer and again lit the
lamp, ani putting on my clothes ran over
to Nr. Meadall'I aud told him that somo
one ~ds A. our hou4U with n hstchet and
had hart ih and Ma.